HIKE FOR HOSPICE 2025 A TREMENDOUS EVENT

This year’s Hike for Hospice was our biggest and most inspiring yet — and it’s all thanks to you.

Over 700 hikers came together in a moving display of compassion, unity, and hope. Whether walking in memory of a loved one, celebrating life, or simply standing in solidarity with those navigating loss, every step taken was filled with purpose. The energy in the air was undeniable — joyful, heartfelt, and deeply connected.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we surpassed our fundraising goal and raised over $200,000 — marking an incredible milestone in our journey. Every dollar raised through Hike for Hospice 2025 helps Hospice Vaughan continue to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to individuals living with a life-limiting illness, their caregivers, and those grieving a loss. These critical funds ensure our programs and services, including care at our 12-bed residential hospice, remain entirely free of charge for everyone who needs them.

Together, we walked. Together, we remembered. Together, we continue to build a community rooted in care, compassion, and love.

From all of us at Hospice Vaughan, thank you.

We truly couldn’t do this without you.

A NOTE FROM OUR EVENT CHAIR

“You matter because you are you, and you matter until the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.” – Dame Cicely Saunders

This quote is inscribed at the entrance of Hospice Vaughan, where my father and our family lived the final days of his life. It touched me profoundly. My father won no awards. His name was never in lights. He was not famous. He was a simple man. But he was loved by everyone, and he mattered.

Before my father’s passing, I barely knew this facility existed other than passing it on my way to work. But today, as Chair of this year’s Hike for Hospice—and in my third year in this role—my commitment is continually renewed because I see firsthand how much it is needed. Each year, I meet people who share how much this place has meant to them and how their loved ones have benefited from its compassionate care. The need for hospice services continues to grow, and so does our commitment to ensuring that no one faces the end of life alone.

I invite you to walk with me, to support Hospice Vaughan’s mission of helping individuals live fully and ensuring a dignified end-of-life journey for them and for their families.

Because everyone deserves to die with dignity.

Alex Lombardi